Temple of Leah

The Temple of Leah stands on the Busay hillside above Cebu, a large classical structure of columns, grand staircases and lion statues built from 2012 onward by Teodorico Adarna as a memorial to his wife Leah Albino-Adarna, who died in 2012 after more than fifty years of marriage. Inside is a bronze statue of her, along with rooms intended to hold her collections and a chapel; construction has proceeded in stages and much of the complex remains unfinished, with bare concrete alongside the completed sections. It is unashamedly theatrical - the local nickname is Cebu's Taj Mahal, which oversells it considerably - and it functions today as a viewpoint and photo stop, with the whole of Cebu City and the strait laid out below and a run of cafés and restaurants along the Busay ridge nearby. Sunset is the busiest time and the reason most people make the drive up.

What you actually see

• The columned facade - the classical front and grand stairs.
• The bronze statue - the memorial figure inside.
• The unfinished sections - bare concrete alongside the finished halls.
• The city view - Cebu and the strait from the terrace.

When to go

Year-round; late afternoon for sunset over the city, which is when it is busiest. Mornings are quiet and cooler.

Honest expectations

It is a modern private monument, not a historic site, and large parts are unfinished. There is an entrance fee. The drive up the Transcentral Highway is winding, and traffic backs up at sunset.

Nearby

The Cebu Taoist Temple is on the same hillside; the Busay restaurants and Tops lookout are further up the ridge.